Greek influence

       Greek Influence on Indian Culture

The Greek invasion touched only the upper surface of Indian life and culture.Alexander was the first Greek who invaded India,but his invasion had no permanent effect upon Indian culture.As a consequence of Alexander's invasion,the coinage system underwent minute changes.The Gandhara art had its birth and some new avenues were opened for trade and commerce.This was the only effect of the invasion of Alexander on Indian culture. In fact,Alexander appeared like a conqueror and not as a propagator of culture and civilization.The second Greek invader was Seleucus,who attacked India in about 306 B.C.This invasion,too,did not make any impact on Indian culture.
In the middle of the third century B.C. two Greek dynasties-the Bactrian and the Parthian-were established in Greece.The rulers of these dynasties invaded India between 205 B.C. Demetrius,Menander and Eukratides were the main invaders who laid the foundation of Indo-Greek kingdom on the North-West frontier of India.

Coinage System

Indian coins were very much affected by the Greek system of coinage. In the pre-Greek period, small coins of silver and copper were used in India.Some coins were made of gold also.All the coins of India were crude and roughly wrought.Indians were ignorant of the technique of coinage.In this field Indian learnt much from the Greeks.The coins were artistic,smooth and well shaped.The people of India copied the Greek coins and thus began to make artistic coins.

Literature

The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are very old epics.When these epics were written,the Indians had no cultural relations with the Greeks,besides the Greek languages was not used on the coins of India during the reign of the Greek rulers.Only Prakrit and Isthi languages were used on these coins.
However,Indian dramatic literature was influenced by the Greek technique of drama to some extent.For example,there is no proper word for the curtain of the stage in Sanskrit language.The word 'Yavanika' has been used for this purpose and it is the word of Greek languages.It is probably that Greek dramatic art influenced Indian plays,but there is no convincing evidence to prove the Greek influence on the Indian literature.

Art,Architecture and Sculpture

Probably,the people of this country might have been influenced in the field of architecture,but no building of the Greek style has been found in excavations except a temple of high 'Yavana Pillars' found in Taxila. This temple is believed to have been built in about first century B.C. 
The walls of this temple are patterned on the Greek style of architecture.
During this period,the Gandhara schools of art was developed. Gandhara school of art was admixture of Indian and Greek civilization.

Trade and Commerce

Indian trade and commerce flourished to a considerable extent as a result of the establishment of the Greek rule in India, Indo-Greek relations were strengthened and thus,a new way was opened for the progress of trade and commerce.
Indian goods began to be sold in the foreign markets on the large scale.It is said that a great exhibition was organised by Antiochus IV in about 166 B.C.Thus, it can be said that there was closed relationship between India and Greece in this field.